Title: The Digestion Suggestion (Webquest)

www.catskill.net/dawn/Introduction.pdf


Authors: Dawn Brown and Nancy Watson of Tannersville High School, Hunter Tannersville Central School District
Subject and Grade Level:
Time Needed: Students should complete the assignment in 5-7 days of 40 minute class periods. More time may be required for production and presentation work.

For additional free online lessons integrating media literacy and critical thinking into the curriculum, go to www.projectlooksharp.org

Summary:
This project allows students to look at their own digestive
health and research possible solutions to everyday health
problems. Students must work together to make an educated
recommendation to others on how to keep one's digestive
system healthy using suggested media sources that they are to
analyze and assess according to specified criteria for examining the
credibility of media information (project Look Sharp). Students will then
produce either a Glogster or commercial to share the results of their
research.This Webquest is designed for a target audience of 7th grade science
students. The Digestion Suggestion may be used in conjunction with a
nutrition and/or digestion unit. It is important that students
understand the function of the digestive system prior to
completing this WebQuest.

Objectives:
  • students will identify digestive health problems.
  • students will research possible remedies for everyday digestive health problems.
  • students will create recommendations to others on how to keep one's digestive systems healthy.
  • students will analyze and assess health media advertisements.
  • students will produce educational digestive health commericals and Glogsters.

Standards To Be Addressed:
NYS Science Learning Standards
Standard 4 Living Environment
Key Idea 5:
Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium that sustains life.
Introduction: All organisms must be able to obtain and use resources, grow, reproduce, and
maintain stable internal conditions while living in a constantly changing external
environment. Organisms respond to internal or environmental stimuli.
Performance Indicator 5.2
Describe the importance of major nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in maintaining health
and
promoting growth, and explain the need for a constant input of energy for living
organisms.5.2e In order to maintain a balanced state, all organisms have a minimum daily
intake
of each type of nutrient based on species, size, age, sex, activity, etc. An imbalance in any
of the nutrients might result in weight gain, weight loss, or a diseased state.
21st Century Learning Standards- Library Standards
Standard 1:Inquire, Think Critically, and Gain Knowledge
1.1.3 Develop and refine a range of questions to frame the search for new understanding.
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity,
appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context.
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (textual, visual, media,
digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
1.1.7 Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions,
main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, and point of view or bias.
1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.
1.3.5 Use information technology responsibly.
1.4.3 Monitor gathered information and assess for gaps and weaknesses.

Vocabulary:

Glossary
abdominal – relating to the belly or part of the body that lies between the thorax (chest)
and the pelvis
acid taste – having a sour taste
advertise - to give public notice, such as a printed display in a newspaper,
short film on television, announcement on radio, etc., designed to sell goods,
publicize an event, etc.
analysis – the close examination of something in order to understand it better
anatomy – the branch of science that studies the physical structure of living organisms
associated – connected or related in some way
bloating – swelling or fullness in the abdominal area that may be caused by fluid or gas
bouts - a period of illness
bowel movement – (feces) body wastes removed from the body through the digestive
process
commercial – relating to the buying and selling of goods, or products
consecutive – following one after another
consistent – happening regularly
constipation – difficulty emptying the bowels of feces, or solid waste
consuming – eating
decreases – becomes smaller, or less frequent, or less intense
diarrhea – watery feces that occur frequently
diet – the food that a person or animal usually eats
digestive journal – a daily record of the way a person’s body reacts to food and to the
digestive process
effectively – successfully, usefully
effects – things produced or brought on by something else
excessive – more than the usual or normal amount
flatulence – having too much gas in the digestive tract, or pathway
food log – a written record of all the foods eaten by a person in a particular time period
Glogster - a social network that allows users to create free interactive posters, or glogs
habits – a behavior pattern that has become regular for a person, such as healthy eating
and daily exercise
healthy – in good physical or mental condition
increases – becomes bigger, or more frequent, or more intense
lifestyle – the way a particular person lives their life; their habits and usual behavior
maintain – to take care of; keep in good condition
media- means of communication, such as the internet, radio and television, newspapers,
and magazines, that reach or influence people widely
media literacy – the ability to understand and produce messages in a variety of media
nausea – A feeling of sickness, usually with the desire to vomit
nutritionist – a person trained in the study of nutrition and diet
over-the-counter – medicines or treatments that can be bought without a doctor’s
prescription
physiology - the branch of science that deals with the body’s internal processes, such as
respiration and reproduction
prescription – a written order, especially by a doctor, for medicine or other treatment
processes - a series of changes or acts that happen one after another
remedy (remedies) – treatments for diseases and their symptoms
signs and symptoms – changes in bodily functions that may suggest a particular disease
(examples include diarrhea, flatulence, and pain)

Materials:

Digestion Unit of Study to be conducted prior to utilizing this Webquest.
The Digestion Suggestion Website and Resources
http://www.catskill.net/dawn/Resources.pdf

  • Internet Access
  • Computers/laptops
  • Glogster accounts for students (www.glogster.edu)
  • video equipment for taping commericals

Lesson Steps: Conduct Science Unit on Digestive Health

Introduction and review - Digestion Suggestion Webquest www.catskill.net/dawn/Introduction.pdf


Media Literacy Lesson- Introduction to media decoding and analysis of various sources of information. www.catskill.net/dawn/Media.pdf
for link to Power Point for Media Literacy lessson under Teacher Page. www.catskill.net/dawn/TeacherPage.pdf

Task- Purpose described to students on the goals of learning about digestive health. www.catskill.net/dawn/Task.pdf

Background- Review of the digestive system and its physiology. www.catskill.net/dawn/Background.pdf

Process- Steps to follow to complete the webquest and meet the desired goals. www.catskill.net/dawn/Process.pdf
Symptoms- List of signs and symptoms for each pair of students to research and analyze. www.catskill.net/dawn/Symptoms.pdf
Research- List of possible sources of digestive health information. www.catskill.net/dawn/Resources.pdf
Development of Glogster/commercial media product
Evaluation- Evaulation of glogster or commercial based on the rubric provided. www.catskill.net/dawn/Evaluation.pdf

Additional Resources/Background Information:

Resources Used:
E-Medicine Health - http://www.emedicinehealth.com/script/main/hp.asp
Medicine Net - http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/hp.asp
Alternative Medicine -
http://altmedicine.about.com/lr/digestive_system_remedies/43405/1/
How Stuff Works – www.howstuffworks.com
Nation Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse -
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/
American College of Gastroenterology -
http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/healthtips.asp
Medline Plus - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/digestivediseases.html
Discovery Health - http://health.discovery.com/centers/digestive/digestive.html
WebMD - http://www.webmd.com/
Everyday Health - http://www.everydayhealth.com/digestive-health/index.aspx
Philips Probiotics - http://www.phillipsrelief.com/colon_promote.html
People's Health- www.peopleshealth.com
NYS Science Standards - http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/pub/intersci.pdf

www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Studio Kitses - http://kitses.com/animation/swfs/digestion.swf
Quia - http://www.quia.com/jg/1409.html
HealthTrek - http://www.healthtrek.org/lesson02.php
Discovery Health - http://health.discovery.com/centers/digestive/quiz/quiz.html
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0pSWwjY-jM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxjb2UJZ-5I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFJYyL5kDZA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0HWjr6eeMo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XghJuH6GSCo
Women's Netowrkhttp:
wn.com/Lesson_In_Digestive_Health_From_Jamie_Lee_Curtis
Metacafehttp://
www.metacafe.com/watch/842197/national_survey_shows_digestive_health_important_issue_MetNews- http://www.metnews.com/articles/2004/1903ad.gif
http://www.metnews.com/articles/2004/1905ad.gif
http://www.metnews.com/articles/2004/reminiscing081204.htm

Email contact: Dawn Brown (High School Science Teacher) dbrown@htcsd.org and Nancy Watson (District Librarian) nwatson@htcsd.org

This lesson was produced during 2011- 2011 as part of a collaboration between Project Look Sharp (PLS) at Ithaca College and four NY State BOCES School Library Systems. The initiative brought together pairs of secondary science teachers and school librarians to develop models for integrating critical thinking and media literacy into secondary science content. The project was supported by federal LSTA funds awarded to the NY State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. To view additional lessons from this series go to: www.projectloksharp.org.